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Randy Hooper, Discovery Organics – Fairtrade All Star

by Ian Brown, Fairtrade Canada

In a series of blog posts, we are pleased to be showcasing the winners of the 2016 Canadian Fairtrade Awards. The Canadian Fairtrade Awards recognize exceptional Fairtrade supporters and are an opportunity to celebrate all of the great work done in the year by businesses, organizations and individuals.

The 2016 Fairtrade All Star winner is Randy Hooper, co-owner of Discovery Organics. Randy is a dedicated and passionate fair trader who has demonstrated willingness and ability to take a hands-on approach to sustainability and fair trade. He consistently promotes Fairtrade certified products in his community and throughout the country.

Here are some highlights of Randy’s journey to the Fairtrade All Star award!

In 2008, when Discovery Organics started looking into importing bananas, Randy Hooper flew to Peru to visit banana plantations, understand the industry and the reality of farm workers on plantations owned by multinationals. Back in Vancouver, Randy got in touch with Fairtrade Canada to register as a Fairtrade certified trader and to be put in touch with Fairtrade certified cooperatives.

Randy helped develop revised Fairtrade standards for North America, in collaboration with other traders and members of advocacy groups from the Fairtrade world.

Randy has made over 60 trips to Latin America to meet with Fairtrade certified farmers or to introduce the Fairtrade system to farmers whose organizations would benefit from the system and its values. He has also taken more than 20 different retail customers to Peru and Mexico to introduce them to the cooperatives he purchases from.

Randy has always been keen to donate products and support Fairtrade initiatives in Western Canada.

“It is an honor to receive this prize and it is exciting to be part of the fair trade movement in Canada, which is gaining more momentum every year! You can rely on us to keep working hard at bringing in more Fairtrade certified organic produce to Western Canadians” – Discovery Organics

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Fairtrade is a movement for change that works directly with businesses, consumers and campaigners to make trade fair for farmers and workers. The international Fairtrade system represents the world's largest and most recognized fair trade system.